BOTTOM FISHING AT L.A. BAY PRODUCES GOOD ACTION
BETWEEN ISLA PARTIDA AND ISLA ANGEL DE LA GUARDA

June 7, 2005, Robert Johnson, Bahia de los Angeles trip report, Baja California, Mexico:

My niece, Megan Johnson, of New Orleans, and I went to Bahia de los Angeles (L.A. Bay) over a four day weekend. We stayed at Guillermo’s Resort and fished on Saturday and Sunday, 6/4 and 6/5.

On the first day we hired one of Guillermo’s super pangas and spent a windy day with the guide Martin making bait inside the lighthouse and fishing the north side of Isla Smith. The fishing was spotty and Bahia de Los Angeles was getting a strong northwest wind most of the morning. We caught no yellowtail but bagged some Humboldt squid, lingcod, cabrilla and triggerfish. The air temperature maybe hit 80 degrees, the water was cold. Generally, the fleet did not do well on Saturday.

On the second day we hired Bahia de Los Angeles Capt. Igor Galvan and took advantage of a great day of weather to fish the ridge between Isla Partidas and Isla Angel de la Guardia. Igor went outside to hopefully find the temperature break between the cold water of the Canal de Ballenas and the warmer water east of La Guardia. We didn’t get out far east enough but still had a great day trolling around Isla Partidas for Leopard Grouper, caught two 35 pound yellowtail on the ridge, lost about 3 others, got some really nice mid sized grouper, cabrilla and even a sheep’s head. We also lost what Igor figured was a black sea bass that exceeded 100 pounds.

Igor reported Bahia de Los Angeles fishing water temperatures at 62 degrees, 5 miles east of the lighthouse and 65 degrees on the ridge south of La Guardia. Igor figured the water was 79 degrees east of the current break and said he might try an outside shot at it this week to see if he can find some dorado.

We got out of Bahia de Los Angeles at 6:00 p.m. with a respectable cooler full of fillets and made the border at 3:00 a.m. on Monday morning, and to my home in Alta Loma by 5:30 a.m.

The road down was in good shape, one bad vado north of Catavina. We left Ensenada just before the start of the Tecate 500, and there was only one army check point just north of El Rosario. We got to Bahia de Los Angeles around 4:15 p.m., FILLED UP MY TANK AT THE NEW PEMEX!, and got a room at Guillermo’s Resort. We got the nice room with the natural air conditioning and not too much artificial lighting.

The new PEMEX station is open from 4-7 in the evening and I got the impression that this is the best time to get in line with the boats to ensure you get the fuel. This new station is a great improvement for trailer boaters and generally anyone that can’t get 500 miles out of their gas tank.

The older Guillermo was in Ensenada for a medical appointment so we missed him this time. It doesn’t look like he’s made much progress on his new dock since our last visit.